This invention relates to cleaning systems for UV disinfection modules/reactors, particularly to a moveable wiper system adapted for UV disinfection modules/reactors containing multiple UV disinfection lamps.
Utilization of UV for disinfection of potable and wastewater continues to increase on an ongoing basis. A number of UV disinfection systems are commercially available and utilized for a wide variety of wastewater and potable disinfection processes.
It has been an ongoing problem in the field of UV disinfection that, over the course of time, quartz jackets surrounding the individual UV lamps tend to foul due to the slow build-up or accumulation of deposited material on the quartz jackets. Such materials include particulates, fats, oils, greases and the like that are typical of foreign matter contained within the water being disinfected. A number of systems and processes have been developed to remove such accumulations/deposits. Such systems include various reciprocating wiper systems which tend to have one problem or another in effectively and economically achieving the task of cleaning quartz jackets for extended periods of time. Systems/processes known to the Applicant include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,562,520; 3,837,800; 3,904,363; 4,017,734; 4,968,489; 5,133,945; 5,440,131; and 5,528,044.
This invention relates to a cleaning system for a UV disinfection module having a pair of headers with a multiplicity of lamps extending therebetween including a cleaning plate having a multiplicity of openings therein, the openings having lamp wipers and arranged to substantially coincide with positions of the lamps to permit movement of the plate between the headers, a rotatable screw extending between the headers and through the plate, a motor operatively connected to rotate the screw, a screw adapter fixed to the cleaning plate at a rotatable screw opening in the plate and including a substantially cylindrical tube having opposed openings, one of the openings being aligned with the rotatable screw opening and a thread nut connected to each of the opposed openings, each opposed opening having a threaded central bore sized to threadingly engage threads on the rotatable screw, whereby rotation of the screw moves the cleaning plate between the headers.
The invention also relates to a cleaning plate having a multiplicity of openings therein, the openings arranged to substantially coincide with positions of the lamps to permit sliding of the plate between the headers, a ring-shaped wiper connected to the plate at each opening sized such that each wiper has a diameter less than the exterior diameter of a corresponding lamp, each wiper connected to the plate which permits lateral movement of the wiper with respect to the plate, and a motor operatively connected to move the plate between the headers.